Sunday, July 9, 2017

Day 50 - Whitbourne to Brigus

49.2 km - Total so far 3,284.30 km


RWGPS: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/15940979
Relive:https://www.relive.cc/view/g12788524676

Today the plan was to follow a route proposed to us by Gilbert Penney, from Springdale. The route would get us off the TCH at the earliest opportunity and onto the Conception Bay Highway (the old TCH). This is because we are within 100 kilometers of St John's and there is a lot more traffic. 

We did not know what to expect in regards to terrain and winds so we identified three places along the route to stop and spend the night. As we left Whitbourne, it was overcast and foggy with visibility out to a few kilometers.



Nice quiet road with rugged scenery that we can't see well
We stopped along the way for snacks and for Helene to pick two berries. That is when I spotted the plant below, the very rare Newfoundland Wild Vinegar bush. It looks very much like a small coniferous tree and it is easy to miss.


The other strawberry was HUGE!

Newfoundland Wild Vinegar bush with a fruit on the ground
The sun finally came out just as we neared our first destination, Cupids. Cupids is the oldest English settlement in Newfoundland dating back to 1610.
One of the bigger fishing boats in Cupids harbour

The hills surrounding Cupids. The Union Jack is still very prominent
everywhere here
 

Monument honouring Great Britain's and Allied war dead of both World Wars


The wharf in Cupids


A gorgeous yellow tree in Cupids

Leaving Cupids. Not a long climb but a pretty steep one. Look at those cliffs

From Cupids we got to the historic village of Brigus. Brigus reminds me of a small British village, with narrow lanes and with a small brook running through it. We did not see any stone homes but many historic clapboard ones that are well over a century old. We decided to spend the night in Brigus which gave us an opportunity to walk about and visit. 



The 'Tunnel' in Brigus, dug by hand with the help of gunpowder.


Brigus Cove 




A sailboat the other side of Molly's Island

Houses on Harbour Pond

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The Brigus brook

The narrow lanes

Fishing for cold beer in the brook

 It was a nice change of pace being off the TCH. Once again we got treated to incredible scenery and got to learn a bit more about Newfoundland history. As we slow our arrival to St John's, we look forward to more scenery and small villages.
30.57 miles - Total so far 2,040.77 miles

6 comments:

  1. Love the wrapped vinegar fruit and the fishing with the red hat 😊
    Looks like you've done an amazing trip! Congrats!!

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  2. Have your contacts at Agriculture Canada been able to provide additional information regarding the very rare Newfoundland Wild Vinegar bush? Would it grow here in Eastern Ontario or does it need the salt air from the oceans to propagate? So many questions ...............

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  3. More questions - is the fishing season open for beers? Do one need a license? Can you, as a come-from-away obtain a license?

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    1. Mainlanders do not require a license, only islanders.

      DW

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  4. Me again -- back after finding an article about the glorious tree you photographed in Cupids. It's a Goldenchain tree or Laburnum. I was all set to track down a supplier until I read through the article and learned that it likely wouldn't thrive in the Ottawa area and "all parts of the plant are extremely toxic." (http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/1866)

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    1. We also just learned the name today as well as the toxic features from our tour guide. Those trees are all over the place, very pretty.

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